The role of the election management body (EMB) in relation to districting may be minimal or,
indeed, it may have no role at all. In some countries, the districting arrangements are at the
lowest level, for the determination of voting sites and local boundaries for council and smaller
elections. For regional, parliamentary, and presidential elections, a national organisation with
separate, specific, and distinct powers may have the responsibility of determining boundaries for
elections. Districting is considered in detail in Physical requirements and Disseminate Results of Boundary Delimitation to All Involved in Electoral Process.
In the United Kingdom, the establishment of permanent Boundary Commissions to delineate
Parliamentary boundaries was enacted in 1944. There are similar commissions at the European
and local level. These nonpartisan bodies operating under politically agreed rules are required to
undertake reviews at regular intervals of not less than ten and not more than fifteen years. The
trend in the Commonwealth marks a departure from the U.K.'s model in that the neutral and
impartial EMBs are being given responsibility for boundaries. However, there is no EMB in the
U.K. The matter is easier in the United States where historically defined states have the right to
representation in the congressional bodies.
At the local level, local officials, in consultation with political parties, elected officials, and
others affected by the change, determine boundaries at the precinct level. With respect to
congressional district lines, changes are made by the state legislatures, which also change state
legislature district lines when population changes occur. This division demonstrates that there is
no one body responsible for boundaries in the U.S.
However, in New Zealand, there is a role for the electoral commission, as central government
boundaries are reviewed and set by the EMB. At the regional and local levels, however,
boundaries are not the responsibility of the EMB. Instead, this task is given to a government
agency known as the Local Government Commission.
It could be argued that the issue of boundaries at national, regional and local levels should be
one of the responsibilities of an EMB with appropriate delegation to the lower tiers. This
national body could ensure that regular reviews are undertaken, determining the nationwide
timing in accordance with the law and hearing appeals to decisions of the regions. The regions
in turn could hear appeals from local bodies. Any objections to the decisions of the national
body could be determined by the parliament, or legislature. The national body's independence
should ensure that there would be no gerrymandering or other abuses, which is crucial to the
conduct of free and fair elections.
Whether responsibility is given an independent body, an election official, or a national, regional,
or local election management body, there needs to be a clearly established, regular process for
boundary delineation at all levels. There would, at least, be a need for the organisation with
responsibility for boundaries to be in close contact with the logistics division of the EMB (see
Appointment of staff).
